Izumi Otaka
Izumi Otaka (b. August 18, 3490) is a Dranish historian, author and politician of the right-wing Rally for the Republic currently serving as President of Dranland. He is a leading proponent of the party's small yet growing nationalist wing. From 3541 to 3549, he was RFR Chairman. Life Otaka was born in Mynyddoedd Creigiog (Loren) in 3490 as the son of an ophthalmologist, Shintaro Otaka, and a college professor, Mary Ann Halseth. He is thus half-Kyo and half-Draddwyr. While developing an early interest in politics, he was a socialist up to his 18th birthday, when he began to shift to the right after having commenced studies in economics and politics. After obtaining a B.A. in both subjects, he continued with studying history, where he earned a PhD in 3415 for his thesis of a criticism of Pan-Dovanism. After his studies, he worked for several right-wing think tanks and later as a lecturer at various academic institutions throughout Loren. He published numerous academic articles relating to ethnic nationalism and separatism in Dranland, while also analyzing the correlation of political leanings and ethnic background of voters. His own world view as expressed in his writing was a combination of opposition to Pan-Dovanism, ambivalence towards Jienism, two influential ideologies among Gao-Showan people, and at the same time adherence to Dranish traditions in general, regardless of their ethnic connotation. He self-described as a "paleoconservative nationalist", strongly supportive of national sovereignty, isolationism and laissez-faire capitalism. Politics Otaka first made it to the political headlines when, in 3533, he published a book titled Generosity Begins at Home, criticizing liberal immigration policies and arguing for the abolition of foreign aid. He dedicated the book to "Gary Donnelly, future President of Dranland". Five years later, in 3538, he stunned political observers when he spectacularly ousted senior RFR politician Lawrence Sinclair, at that time parliamentary leader, as the official candidate in the academic and affluent constituency of Prifysgol Arfordir Cymru. He later won the seat in the general election with 48.8% percent (-7%). In Parliament, he became the leader of the libertarian nationalist RFR faction. In 3539, he declared his bid for RFR Chairman, facing chief cabinet secretary Yves Lonegan, the establishment candidate, and Daniel Cabello, a political outsider who was police commissioner in Santa Sharika. After failing to gain traction with a smear campaign accusing Lonegan of being a closet homosexual, he seized the opportunity to push his anti-immigration agenda when clashes between natives and migrants occurred in Santa Sharika in 3539. Otaka declared his "solidarity with the natives, whose property has been damaged and whose relatives have been wounded and killed in the barbaric way of street battling that we have imported with our lax immigration laws." After trailing by nine points in the first round, he defeated Lonegan in the runoff with 51.46 percent, fueled by massive gains in Valdor, where the race riots took place. However, his influence remained limited as the nationalist faction was a small minority in the parliamentary caucus. As a supporter of greater autonomy for the Dranish Autonomous Zone, which was opposed by Taoiseach Éléonore Gascoyne, he moved a motion of no confidence against her in 3544, ahead of the general election, aiming to oust and replace her himself. He argued that "while we respect and applaud Gascoyne for her competent and successful restoration of economic prosperity and growth, we believe that Ms. Gascoyne has exceeded her usefulness as we now face challenges very different from the economic woes she overcame - challenges that she does not seem to be willing to tackle or even contemplate" and "the Taoiseach is unwilling to grant basic democratic right to the people of the DAZ, which we consider illiberal and unworthy of a party like ours." The motion failed, but Gascoyne resigned herself in December 3544 when Parliament passed a law granting near-absolute autonomy to the DAZ (Dranish Autonomous Zone Reorganization Act or DAZRA). Otaka supported this reform, but voted according to the official party line against as it would pass anyway. In February 3545, a new coalition out of TG, RFR, PP and PGR took power, in which Otaka became Tánaiste, thus deputy Head of Government. Together with Foreign Minister Gary Donnelly, he backed the implementation of DAZRA and a road-map towards democratization of the Territories, thus replacing the staunch anti-autonomy stance of the RFR under Gascoyne with a new, contrary position which he declared the official party line in his capacity as Chairman. In 3547, he made the controversial decision to join a government coalition with the National Fascist Party, something the majority of RFR members opposed. He was criticized by his own deputy, Erin Woodward, and also the leader of the PP, for committing treason to the libertarian idea. In 3549, after snap polls were held due to the NFP's collapse, he was challenged by Woodward for the party leadership after a bad result in the general election which his opponents interpreted as a punishment for his deal with the fascists. Erin Woodward challenged him for the leadership, but he chose to stand aside and let her win by default, saying that factionalism would harm the party. In fact, his poll numbers had dropped to the low forties and he did not wish to dampen the chances of his protegé, Gary Donnelly, who needed a strong nationalist wing to realize his ambitions. Otaka subsequently became Secretary-General after having resigned as Chairman. In 3555, he was the hand-picked presidential nominee chosen by Gary Donnelly, who had meanwhile risen to Chairman. He won with 55% in the runoff of the election. As President, he strongly supported Dranish Autonomous Zone, which had been heavily restricted by Taoiseach Dr. Enrique Ovalle. In a provocatice address to the NUM legislature during his first month as President, Otaka issued an apology to the Territorials, saying "there is no question that Dranland bears a partial responsibility for the horrible escalations the conflict over autonomy has caused. Without negating that the agitation of Premier Jun was its initial cause, I want to acknowledge on behalf of the Dranish people, who are by no means all enemies of the cause of autonomy, that some actions taken by Dranish authorities massively accelerated the conflict." This caused a major fallout between him and Ovalle, who in turn criticized the President of supporting pro-autonomy terrorists and extremists. In July 3555, Otaka again addressed NUM residents ahead of the legislative elections, this time accusing Ovalle of "deep, vitriolic antipathy to the Territorials and their culture". Category:Dranian people Category:RFR politicians